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Dr
Chris
Allen

Dr
Chris
Allen

Biography

I am a part-time sociologist that has worked in a variety of universities (Cardiff, Manchester, Salford, Bradford, Sheffield Hallam, Manchester Metropolitan) since 1993. My key areas of work have, until recently, been in urban sociology and the sociology of knowledge.

After 18 years of working as a full-time academic, I took a break from academia between 2011 and 2013 when I ran alternative cycle and walking tours of Liverpool and spent more time volunteering at Asylum Link Merseyside. I also began to attend a local Quaker meeting where I became more involved in peace work.

I returned to academia in 2013 when I "downshifted" from a full-time chair to part-time lecturer. Since returning in 2013 I have made some further written contributions to urban and housing sociology. However, these pieces of writing are now complete so, after 25 years, my written contribution to the field of urban and housing sociology has more or less come to an end.

Since 2015, I have been opening up several new lines of academic work in the fields of political theology, peace studies and football studies which reflects where my energies are now invested. Specifically:

I am a member of the Liverpool Unitarian Church and the Merseyside Peace Network - through which I work with a range of peace organisations such as Pax Christi and CND.

I undertake voluntary work in the field of adult education and continue to work with Asylum Link Merseyside where I run football projects for asylum seekers and refugees.

With my Unitarian friends, Rev. Phil Waldron and Paul Miller, I recently established a football club for asylum seekers and refugees which I now run as Club Secretary. This is a wonderful venture because it provides multiple opportunities to facilitate social interaction between asylum seekers, refugees and local people - inluding my students. There is no better way to learn and develop as human beings than in personal encounters with others.

In addition, I occasionally write in alternative football magazines and also write a sociological blog about football mainly in the non-leagues. My football blog can be found here: https://chrisallen291269.wordpress.com/author/chrisallen291269/

I teach the following courses:

Radical Planet: Alternatives to Urban CapitalismSociety and Environment in ConflictWork Based Learning

Degrees

Nothumbria University, United Kingdom, BA (Hons) Government and Public PolicyUniversity of Liverpool, United Kingdom, MA Public Administration and ManagementLiverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD